Signing and Exchange of Notes for Japanese Grant Assistance to Nepal for the Project for the Improvement of Air Traffic Control Facilities at Tribhuvan International Airport (October 8, 2026)

JEINF No. 27-2026 

 
The Government of Japan has decided to extend the grant assistance 2.853 billion yen equivalent to 2.767 billion Nepalese Rupees for “the Project for the Improvement of Air Traffic Control Facilities at Tribhuvan International Airport(TIA). H.E. Mr. MAEDA Toru, Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, and Mr. Ghanshyam Upadhyaya, Secretary of the Ministry of Finance signed the Exchange of Notes for the grant.

TIA is Nepal’s principal international gateway and a lifeline for a mountainous, landlocked country. As traffic grows, the airport must operate amid high terrain and rapidly changing weather; during the recent floods, resilient, continuous operations were essential for emergency response. The aging control tower and systems now require modernization, stronger seismic and climate resilience, and greater redundancy. Under this grant, the Government of Japan will rehabilitate the tower, renew critical building systems (power/UPS, HVAC, fire protection, security), modernize communications, navigation, and surveillance/air traffic management to ICAO standards, and strengthen operation and maintenance capacity through training.
 
The project is expected to enhance safety margins and service continuity, improve efficiency in traffic management, and bolster disaster resilience—benefits that will support tourism, trade, and connectivity across Nepal. It builds on Japan’s long-standing cooperation in aviation safety and human resource development and reflects our shared commitment to safer skies.
 
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Nepal. The Embassy of Japan believes that this project will be instrumental for Nepal in achieving sustainable economic development, and serves as a symbol of the enduring friendship and cooperation that has defined the relationship between our two countries over the past seven decades.